The Power of Sharing Your Story

atMarch 10, 2018

When it comes to telling our stories, we tend to feel a lot of pressure.

If you’ve ever been presented with the opportunity to share your story, I’m sure you too have thought things like:What if my story is too much?What if it’s not enough?Will anyone even be able to relate? Our stories bear the scars of valleys treaded, victories won, and lessons learned. Yet, we fear that when we reveal those hard-worn places to another soul, they might be misinterpreted, misunderstood, or rejected. Or even worse–we might be rejected.Out of fear, we repress, reshape and retell our stories in a way that displays our highlight reel instead of our messy behind the scenes acts. Although this version might seem easier to tell and may be well accepted, we do ourselves and others a huge injustice. When we tell a “highlight” story, we actually dull the very weapon God has given us to conquer the enemy, set people free and empower others.

Our Stories are Swords

Your story is a sword–your words are a weapon.

We find that truth in Revelation 12:11:“They triumphed over him {the enemy/accuser} by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (NIV)

We overcome the enemy by two things: the blood of the Lamb (what Jesus did on the cross) and our testimony, also known as our story. In such a gruesome battle, it’s a little crazy to think that we overcome the enemy with simply two weapons. TWO!H O W E V E R.We aren’t the only ones with weapons. Satan has tactics too. And even though Satan is “powerless over the blood of the Lamb, He can silence our testimonies and stories” (Glynnis Whitwer).

He can get us to silence our stories by convincing us that they are too much, not significant, shocking or just plain weird. He tempts us to give in to the fear that says no one will understand, relate or even care about our stories. The good news is: we don’t have to listen to him. Because when we are vulnerable about our stories with other people, three powerful things can happen:

#1. We Allow Others to Experience the Power of “Me Too”

I remember finally having the guts to tell a friend a very hard part of my story. I had been stuck in a suffocating shame spiral for years over it, and that day I felt safe enough to share my struggle with her. After I finished choking through my confession, she uttered two words that allowed the breath to return to my lungs again: “Me too.”It felt like I could breathe again. Feel normal again. Because her words shattered the lie that had strangled me for years–the lie that said I was the only one who struggled with this. As she shared more of this same struggle with me and how God helped her overcome it, I went from feeling powerless to empowered, from suffocated to liberated. We never know what someone else is struggling with and we never know how God might use our story to speak to someone’s struggle. Those two words, “Me Too”, offers others peace of mind, reminding them they aren’t alone in their struggle and they aren’t crazy for struggling with it.

#2. We Empower Others to Share Their Story

Sharing our stories not only empowers us to tell them more, but it gives those listening permission to share the hard parts of their lives too.Vulnerability often operates like a butterfly effect. One person’s authenticity inspires another person’s audacity and empowers them to speak out about the hidden parts of their story.One person's authenticity inspires another person's audacity to share their story. Click To Tweet
Because when you see another operating in freedom, it’s hard not to crave that same liberation in your own life. When we withhold telling our stories, we could be withholding someone else’s freedom.

#3. Our Stories Are Part of a Bigger Story

Our stories aren’t merely a recitation of our past and present life events. They are so much more than that. Your story tells about a supernatural interception– God reaching into your brokenness, refining you through His kindness, and making you into His likeness. Our stories contain miracles–big and small–that show a watching world the hand of God in every single one of our seasons. When we tell our stories, we tell His story.When we tell our story, we tell His story Click To Tweet
Because His grace is laced throughout all of our hard-worn places and His divine intervention is woven through even our most difficult circumstances. Our transparency and honesty with our stories allows people to see the handiwork of God–that He is alive and living in us.The truth is: Our stories matter and it matters how we tell them.Friend, what is holding you back from owning and sharing your story? Is it shame? Fear? Insecurity? Ask the Author of your story to empower you with boldness to take your story-sword out of your sheath and begin fighting this battle of freedom. Who will you help liberate with the truth of your story?

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9 Comments

Superior Domain

That’s powerful. Well said.

10 . Mar . 2018

Kaitlin

Thank you, friend!

10 . Mar . 2018

jeannieremyministries

Great blog. I really needed this! I have been writing a book for 4 years. It is extremely transparent, and I was struggling with the thought of publishing it, for it tells all. I know there will be harsh judgement for my past sins from people, including family members. I have shared so much of my story on my blog. Except for one major sin from my past. I know that other marriages that have overcome what we have will know that forgiveness is worth it. Ty for sharing your blog. It is just so like God to bring me the right people to say what I need.

14 . Mar . 2018

Kaitlin

Aw Jeannie,
I’m so glad this spoke to you in the moment you needed it! How amazing that you are writing a book and being vulnerable with you story! Vulnerability is so contagious, and you sharing the hard truths about your story gives others permission to share theirs 🙂 Can’t wait to see this book and the shelf someday!!

14 . Mar . 2018

Karissa

Amen! We really do need each other’s stories. There is so much power in making them known. So much shame and condemnation can be silenced through the speaking of a few simple words. Thanks for this post!

14 . Mar . 2018

Kaitlin

Amen friend! So true!!

14 . Mar . 2018

RebeccaLynn

Kaitlin

What!!!! Is it really?! How crazy!!

14 . Mar . 2018

Sierra V

Thank you so much! I know that there are a lot of people who think that they are the only ones going through a situation until they tell somebody. That was me, until I finally told my mom some of the things that happened in my childhood. I also told my story to some friends at a small group type thing and the lady over it had the same thing happen to her so she encouraged me, and then a girl remembered how that happened to her also. So now we are all getting freedom and healing and getting closer to our God! I’m just praying for other girls I know, and that they’d be able to share soon, so they can experience healing and help others as well<3